(Not Applicable)
The present invention generally relates to the packaging and preparation of dehydrated foods and beverage infusions, and more particularly to a system for the packaging and preparation of dehydrated foods and beverage infusions.
Dehydrated packaged foods are a quick and easy way for people on-the-go to eat. Typically, such dehydrated packaged foods consist of dried foodstuff contained within a packet or a disposable paper cup. In the case of the packet, the dried foodstuff is re-hydrated by emptying the packet into a vessel such as a mug or bowl and adding a prescribed volume of hot water to such vessel. In the case of the paper cup the dried foodstuff is re-hydrated with a prescribed volume of heated water poured into the container. In both cases, the hot water is mixed with the dried foodstuff and allowed to steep until the meal is ready to eat.
Dehydrated packaged foods usually have an extended shelf life because the foodstuff has been dried and hermetically sealed within the packet or paper cup. Packets and paper cups are convenient in that they provide the consumer with a pre-measured quantity of foodstuff which facilitates the preparation of a single serving or some other convenient serving size.
Dehydrated foods packaged in paper cups are particularly popular because the meal comes in its own serving container. In this respect, the consumer only needs to provide hot water and a spoon in order to eat the meal from the cup.
While convenient in many regards, paper cup packages offer several disadvantages. The paper cup must be of a size which can contain the dried foodstuff, as well as the liquid to re-hydrate the same. Therefore, paper cup packages typically have approximately two to three times the volume as the dried foodstuff contained therein. Accordingly, when packaged, the dried foodstuff will only occupy a small portion of the cup, while the remainder of the cup will be empty. Such partially empty cups are structurally weaker than substantially full containers and are prone to crushing and bursting. Moreover, since the paper cup packaging contains mostly air, it consumes valuable shelf space and is excessively bulky during shipping and storage. Their thin paper walls provide little insulation and, once hot water is added into the cup, they are uncomfortably hot to hold. Moreover, the walls of such cups are prone to bending under the pressure of a consumer""s grip, rendering them difficult to handle and easy to spill.
Dehydrated foods packaged in packets also offer a trade-off between positive and negative features. Packets are compact and sturdy. They are typically used in conjunction with a mug, cup or bowl, which offers the consumer a sturdy and comfortable vessel from which to consume the prepared foodstuff. Packets are inconvenient in that they require the procurement of a vessel to prepare the substance. Packets require handling in order to pour the contents of the packet into the vessel. In addition, use of a packet requires that the vessel be cleaned before and/or after it is used for the foodstuff.
To use either a paper cup package or a packet, the consumer of dehydrated foods will need to provide hot water in order to prepare the meal. Specifically, most packaged foods need hot water to mix with and fully cook the dried foodstuff. The hot water is poured over the dried foodstuff such that the dried foodstuff is re-hydrated and heated thoroughly. Most manufactures of packaged food recommend that the hot water be heated first before being mixed with the dried foodstuff. Accordingly, most users of the dehydrated food use either a microwave oven to heat the water in a separate container or use a saucepan to heat the water over a stove. This defeats the overall utility of the packaged food inasmuch as the separate container used to heat the water must be procured and cleaned. Furthermore, the consumer must spend time measuring, pouring and otherwise handling heated and unheated water. Additionally, the consumer of the packaged food must be near a source of hot water and/or a method of heating water. For consumers who need a meal on the go (e.g., salesmen working out of their automobiles), it is often inconvenient to find a source of heated water. For consumers that have little space (e.g. students in a dormitory and workers in an office or cubicle), it is often impractical to possess a microwave oven or stove.
Beverage infusions such as coffee are commonly prepared using an automatic drip coffee maker. To brew coffee in such devices, a consumer typically engages in a multi-step process that includes, inserting a filter into the coffee maker, measuring and adding ground coffee to the filter, measuring and adding a quantity of water to the machine and turning on the machine. After the machine has competed a coffee brewing cycle, the consumer decants the coffee from the carafe of the coffee maker into a separate vessel such as a cup or mug. After consuming the coffee, the consumer must clean-up by disposing of the spent coffee grounds and filter, cleaning the carafe and other portions of the coffee maker and cleaning the vessel used to consume the coffee. Overall, the process of making coffee using an automatic drip coffee maker requires a significant time and effort on behalf of the consumer. Moreover, the amount of time and effort required to prepare a single cup of coffee using such devices is comparable to the time and effort required to prepare an entire pot of coffee. Numerous products have been developed in an effort to facilitate the preparation of a single cup of coffee, including instant coffee and coffee bags. While instant coffee is convenient in many respects, it has a taste and composition that is different and generally considered inferior to that of brewed coffee. Coffee bags have been developed that resemble tea bags in their use. However, unlike tea which readily infuses into hot water with minimal agitation, coffee is best produced by a forced extraction process in which a moving stream of hot water percolates through coffee grounds. Since coffee bags do not provide for a forced flow of water over the coffee grounds, they typically result in an extremely weak brew. In addition, both instant coffee and coffee bags require hot water which is often inconvenient to obtain. Moreover, both instant coffee and coffee bags require the use of a vessel such as a mug or cup which will need to be cleaned after use.
The present invention addresses the above-mentioned deficiencies in the prior art. Specifically, the present invention provides a container for dehydrated foods that:
is compact;
is sturdy;
permits preparation of the dehydrated food within the package;
can be utilized in conjunction with a common cup or mug; and
requires minimal clean-up.
In addition, the present invention provides a package for coffee that:
facilitates the quick preparation of coffee;
includes the pre-measured quantity of coffee grounds and filter requisite to brew said coffee;
provides for the brewing of coffee;
provides for the consumption of the coffee directly out of the package; and
requires minimal clean-up.
Finally, the present invention provides an appliance for use with said packages for food and coffee that;
is compact;
is simple to use;
prepares said foodstuff or coffee within said packages;
permits consumption of said foodstuff or coffee directly out of said packages;
requires no additional containers or vessels for its use; and
requires minimal clean-up following its use.
In these respects, the food packaging and preparation of the present invention provides a novel system of packaging and preparing food and coffee for busy consumers.
A food preparation system comprising a vessel configured to receive a prescribed volume of liquid and a container sized to be insertable into the vessel. The container includes a prescribed quantity of foodstuff contained therein. The food preparation system further comprises a pump in fluid communication with the liquid and the container wherein the pump is operative to transfer the liquid from the vessel into the container in order to mix with the foodstuff. In the preferred embodiment, the container comprises an expandable chamber that will enlarge when the volume of liquid is transferred therein. Typically, the liquid is transferred from the pump into the container via a tube which is inserted into the container. The pump may be a hand pump or percolator. If the pump is a percolator then the pump will comprise a heating element in fluid communication with the liquid and the tube of the pump. The heating element is operative heat the fluid such that it will percolate into the expandable chamber of the container and mix with the foodstuff.
The vessel is configured with a top portion that receives the container and a bottom portion which is configured to receive the prescribed volume of liquid. In this respect, as liquid is pumped from the bottom portion into the chamber of the container, the chamber will expand into the bottom portion of the vessel. In the preferred embodiment, the liquid contained within the vessel is water which will mix with the foodstuff in order to provide a meal. Typically, the vessel will define a mouth on the top portion thereof such that the container will engage the mouth when inserted within the vessel. Additionally, the container may comprise a lip which will cover the lip of the vessel in order to minimize cleaning thereof.
The food preparation system may comprise an inner cup which is insertable into the interior of the vessel. If the food preparation system includes an inner cup, then the container having a prescribed quantity of foodstuff is insertable into the inner cup. Accordingly, liquid contained within the vessel will be pumped from the vessel into the container such that the liquid will be mixed with the foodstuff. Alternatively, the inner cup may include a valve such that when the inner cup is inserted into the vessel, any liquid poured into the inner cup will flow into the interior chamber of the vessel and be pumped into the container. As the expandable chamber of the container enlarges due to the flow of liquid therein, the chamber will expand into the inner cup.
In accordance with the present invention there is provided a method of preparing packaged food with a food preparation system having a container with a prescribed quantity of foodstuff and a vessel with a pump. The method comprises filling the vessel with a prescribed volume of liquid. Next, the container is inserted into the vessel and liquid is transferred from the vessel into the container with the pump in order to mix the liquid with the foodstuff. In order to transfer the liquid from the vessel into the container, the liquid will be heated to percolate into the container. Accordingly, the container will expand into the vessel as the liquid is transferred.